This is more important than many think when it comes to fantasy football commissioners, even more so with dynasty ones. All of us join dynasty leagues without a good idea whether we will enjoy
Clear rules
When I look for fantasy league rules, it doesn’t have to be the US Constitution. Clear concise and to the point is fine, or wordy if the situation warrants like the taboo subject of “tanking”. If something isn’t discussed in the rules, ask the commissioner about it before you join the league and not after.
Is change possible? When does change happen?
Does the commissioner allow changes to the rules be made? If so, is there a percentage of owners that need to agree to the changes. I prefer at least two-thirds of the owners agreeing to a minor change, over 75% for a major change, and 100% for any money changes. Also does the commissioner open up discuss on a rule before voting? Perhaps another owner faced a similar situation or saw it handled differently. A good commissioner will want to deal with things in the fairest way possible.
Can the league software handle the changes asked of it? Myfantasyleague.com might not look the prettiest, but they have great support and are highly adjustable. Some newer owners want bells and whistles not possible from league software, so don’t make promises you can’t deliver on or that rely on extra work from the unpaid commissioner.
Can a commissioner make changes unilaterally?
I believe there are some situations with league management that do not concern the entire league. In the 14 team dynasty league I run (found here, http://www21.myfantasyleague.com/2015/home/19481#0) we had 42 man rosters with a six man taxi squad for rookies and players that got listed doubtful, out, or on injured reserve. It became very hard to manage owners leaving ineligible players on their taxi squad and the free agent pool dried up quickly. A thread got opened up for discussion as I planned to drop the taxi squad to four spots with it only being open to rookies and players listed on IR. The change got implemented in the offseason with three months of warning for owners to plan. This was about the betterment of the league and not a scoring change that would affect everyone.
Is the commissioner out on his/her own?
When I am commissioning a league, I want at least one or preferably two owners that both the league and I are comfortable being my sounding board to make decisions. I have either a vice or co-commissioners and act as a co-commissioner myself in four other leagues. The more experience you have around you, the better off the entire league will be.
Do not show favoritism, be impartial
If the commissioner’s brother, wife, or best friend is in the league and there is an issue, do they let someone else decide aka vice/co-commissioner or steering committee? You play to have fun and maybe earn a little extra scratch, not get into personal squabbles.
